"In the Moonlight"
Part 2, Chapter 3

Rarity beamed a smile down at Sweetie Belle on the cot, passing her an occasional piece of the yellow, sugar-covered candy Fluttershy had brought her. She'd been with her for a little over an hour, wanting to tell her what was happening, but being unable to work up the nerve. At least she was there this time.

"How are you feeling, Sweetie?" she asked.

Sweetie Belle looked up:

"Better."

"Then maybe we could look through that book I brought you and-"

"No!"

That... idea had ended rather abruptly. Sweetie Belle scowled up at her sister. All was silent now. The sound of a young filly's laughter could be heard from down the street... she was having fun, what Sweetie Belle should have been doing. Rarity cleared her throat.

"Very well, then, Sweetie Belle." She got up, passing her sister the package. "It's going to be getting dark in a couple hours. I'd best put everything away and start dinner. I'll make you something simple tonight. Not too elegant, quick to eat...," Rarity looked down at her sister's swollen gut, "and with a double helping of vanilla oat swirl."

For the first time in what seemed like all day... Sweetie Belle smiled. Seeing that melted her sister's heart.

A small aww escaped Rarity's mouth as she bent down and gently gave her sister a hug. She then stiffly got up, turned around, and left her sister in the upstairs of her shop. She could hear Sweetie Belle groan as she descended the staircase and shut the door.

Poor dear.

* * *

Even more time passed in a blur, Rarity's magic perpetuating her towards completing her tasks.

Dinner was served (quickly this time), with a double-helping of ice cream at the end, as promised. It didn't take fifteen minutes both ways for Rarity to get Sweetie Belle her food. She was doing the dishes now... the mare had eaten only a hoofful of lettuce, a few carrot sticks and radishes. That would be enough. Her mind was stuck on one thought, after all: how the devil do I tell her? Now that Sweetie Belle was alone, Rarity felt less urgency (and therefore she could think), but she knew things were no less urgent. It was not right for her to be doing what she was doing to her little sister. As the adult, it was her duty to tell her the truth, just... why now? Her baby sister was just a baby, after all. For once, why couldn't she just be as crass as Rainbow Dash? It may run the risk of scarring little Sweetie for life, but at least she'd know.

... if Rainbow was there to help, however, Rarity knew she would bolt. Crass, at times, yes, but quite immature. Icky or not, this was all on her.

The toilet flushed, signifying that at least Sweetie Belle could still get out of bed. Rarity smiled. Hearing this kept her from feeling too bad, as she knew of others who had had their first estrus and were in such distress they would've been unable to get up even if the building was on fire. She sighed in relief.

Rarity had one more item on her agenda.

Once the dishes were done, the tired mare made sure everything was locked up and away, then slunk slowly towards her Inspiration Room. Sweetie Belle's tossing would serve as motivation for completion of this one final project. Even now, away from the staircase, she could smell her sister's estrus. In front of the chair by her drawing board, Rarity debated whether or not it would be a good idea to go upstairs and nail shut Sweetie Belle's window...

But she's in such discomfort, the unicorn thought. With the window shut, she probably won't even be able to sleep!

Rarity shrugged, as she used her magic to pull out the chair.

"If I hear a racket that sounds like two young ponies, then I shall simply have to get my broom and go up there. He may go into her room for one thing and one thing only, but something tells me I'd at least hear his voice before that happens."

She rationalized it out perfectly, sitting and picking up the pencil with her magic. Opalescence growled as Rarity pulled a sheet of paper out from under her plump body.

"This is the best I can do for now... deadline looms as Sweetie Belle blooms, after all." She chuckled. "I'll be here all night if I have to... Fluttershy, your suggestion really is ingenious in its simplicity, I must say."

* * *

Outside it was dark. The full moon hung high, causing the starlit sky to glow a deep, piercing purple. Sweetie Belle tossed and turned in moonlit isolation, her discomfort reverberating throughout the boutique, perpetuating her sister's work downstairs. She had eaten her vanilla oat swirl, along with all the rest... the bag of candies were empty, even the sugary crumbs were gone. The filly was ignorant as to why Fluttershy would give her candy, but it did help. The moon shined brightly through her window, illuminating everything in a soft blue glow. She wanted to be in the tree house with her friends, enjoying pie, scary stories, and sleepover fun... but that wouldn't be happening for a couple weeks now because of this.

Even in the cool Equestrian night, Sweetie Belle's temperature began to rise. She felt almost feverish. Evenings were always worse for a filly in her state, not that she'd know. Parts of her body had become swollen and uncomfortable to move, parts which usually generated quite a bit of friction. It didn't hurt so much as feel bloated and sensitive to the touch. They were places which felt buried and deep inside. The filly kept on her back, even the old canvass was serving as an irritant. She sweat everywhere... the places that were hottest sweat the most, adding to her restlessness.

She rubbed her tummy, hoping to sooth the ache, but it did no good. She groaned and sat up, wiping her brow... straddling her pillow in hopes that the coolness might transfer to the rest of her bloated stomach. She stretched, feeling tired but too intense to sleep. She slid forward on the bed, still straddling the pillow, and once she slipped backwards something... unusual happened.

It felt almost like a tickle, but far more delightful. It came from where the pillow was in contact with her body, most intensely emanating from the parts of her body normally deep inside. This exciting feeling seemed to wash over Sweetie Belle in a wave, so she repeated the same motion, and...

Sweetie Belle felt the beginnings relief from this awful condition. She knew -- she didn't know why she knew, but she knew -- what she needed to do to make it all go away now. Everything seemed so natural, so perfect all of the sudden.

Scooching her bottom forward again, then slowly backwards... Sweetie Belle kept the pillow where it was, leaning over it and burying her face into its soft, cool presence. She felt the same sensation, now cool and sleek. Every time she did this, her discomfort seemed to slip away a little bit more, replaced by this wonderful sensation. She began to rock rhythmically -- much like she had done in front of other ponies earlier -- back and forth, cuddling the pillow tightly between her legs. It felt nice, and kept getting better, and more intense... so she rocked faster and more intensely.

Sweetie Belle's mind flashed a millions thoughts as her body stiffened and she bit down, thinking of all the colts and stallions she knew... how they looked, their distinct smells, and what she liked best about them, when suddenly...

Everything seemed to grow tight. Her breathing started to pick up as sensitive parts of her body started to clench, giving off a sensation that would have made her cry if it wasn't for it being so overpowering. Instead she was frozen in place, almost wincing. As this overpowering feeling reached its apex, she clenched her teeth and almost fell to the floor. When she was finally released, every muscle and joint in her body felt relief... a tear ran down her cheek.

She still felt bloated, she still felt lethargic, but all that high-strung tension simply had evaporated. With the pillow still between her legs, she drifted to her side and soon was asleep.

* * *

"I have to tell her," Rarity thought aloud, hearing a very loud thud upstairs as she stitched together her project by hoof.

Now's not the time. Focus on this for the time being or you won't get it done tonight.

"Besides, she needs to sleep." The mare sighed. "In the morning would be best, then... no need to keep her up with gross thoughts. Yes, I shall tell her all about it then!"

Approach it from a wondrous standpoint, because it is wondrous... not relying on books or friends to do so.

"Yes, that seems most appropriate. Oh, why would I ever think of bringing in outside sources to discuss something I myself have already been through?"

Then it's settled.

Rarity felt a wave of relief wash over her body.

There were no other noises upstairs. The unicorn waited... poised, listening for the next rumble or thud.

"Must finally be asleep."

Rarity glanced at her clock. It was almost ten past eleven, a bit less than an hour to go before the new day starts. She'd have enough time to put this project together. She imagined Sweetie Belle would be up at dawn, as usual... perhaps sleeping a little while longer, most likely. She hoped.

Rarity had to hoof stitch this project anyway, to hear the sounds upstairs. There was a momentous racket just moments before; had it carried on much longer, perhaps Rarity would have risen out of her chair. Now it was silent... no other noises, just silence. Sweetie Belle was asleep and she would stay resting silently as Rarity prepared a special dress for her... one mares wore to completely hide the fact that they were just over estrus... everything would be tucked away in this one, tiny little pouch hidden between the legs in a part that resembled a unitard. Just a part of being a mare, and why most stallions left their appreciation of non-socialite mares (or those dressing up for no particular reason) to just compliments... usually compliments about the dresses themselves. Rarity always rationalized that they were just admiring her work, after all, which ticked her pink.

While working, Rarity's mind was mostly a blank now that the upstairs was quiet. Gradually, thoughts seeped in... new thoughts and ideas perpetuating her towards completion of her project. She reflected back on her own time going through this... hormonal change. She was older than Sweetie Belle, almost fourteen. A couple days off school, a stomach ache that started off no worse than the flu, yet both her mom and dad knew something was different.

Rarity's horned glowed deep as she cut the fabric, thinking about these things. She didn't realize it, but she was scowling.

How she hated missing school... attendance was always paramount, but her parents forced her to stay home, telling her nothing until she was "safely in bed." She felt isolated, that she could remember all too well. All her meals were eaten there, the bed covered in a sticky yellow plastic. How... icky it was to describe such things to her while she was eating; perhaps both her parents thought (using mom and dad logic) that food would help comfort her... she hardly needed to hear about tiny mare eggs, colt desires to relieve themselves, foals, and mood swings while looking down at her own scrambled eggs... which were covered in catsup.

Mom and Dad never focused on the feelings... more on what would happen, as opposed to what would happen to her. They downplayed the mood swings:

"Oh, you're liable to get a might irritable during this time, but we don't mind," said her dad.

"It's okay, dear," agreed her mom. "We won't even notice!"

"Perhaps I've simply been trying to give her what I didn't get," Rarity whispered in the faint light while delicately threading a needle.

Feelings are a very delicate thing.

This was true.

In the morning Rarity would do one better for her sister... she would describe what was going on, in very ordinary language, but at the same time she would describe how it feels. Not from the icky, personal standpoint about wanting colts and stallions to be close, but about liking and enjoying their company more than usual, yet why it wasn't a good idea to have them around... and why, after these feelings which never feel like they're going to go away suddenly subside, how awkward things might become.

That was best. Rarity had her project, she had her plan, and would get it all done... hopefully taking no longer than morning's first light.

Author's Note

I was unsure if I wanted to include the scene with Sweetie Belle, um, being... well, "all by herself," as Green Day once wrote back in the 90s. I ultimately decided to.

Frankly, if early puberty's anything like I imagine it might be -- getting washed over with feelings so intense... it makes sense that this would be where it would go.